Where we are

Despite the fact that
Krugersdorp fielded a men's hockey team since 1908, according to
pictorial evidence, and the fact that the idea of K.H.O.SA. was
accepted in principle in 1917, the first reference to KHOSA fielding a
men's hockey team to participate in matches on the West Rand was in
1931, when six male enthusiasts, spearheaded by past students such as
Herbert Dent organized a team.

The 1930's were characterized
by the men increasing their number of league teams to three to
participate in West Rand league fixtures, and then in 1937 entering
the Southern Transvaal structure and attending trial matches. At best,
the first team played in the second league and despite winning this
league on several occasions, it lost the promotion-relegation league
play-off and so were denied the opportunity to play in the first
league. Eventually in 1939 the men's first team did gain promotion to
the Southern Transvaal First League and finished in a creditable third
position. During the same period of the 1930's, the women's section
grew from one to three teams, and in 1938, by beating Vereeniging 6-0,
the first team were rewarded with First League status. Just as the
women's section was gaining momentum, the Second World War (1939 -
1945) interrupted the hockey programme, and after the war, a hockey
rebuilding process had to commence. One positive development was the
replacement of the gravel fields with grass at the Wanderers Grounds,
and hence the number of casualties of 'grazed knees, elbows and hands'
was minimized.

The post-war years saw both
men's and women's sections fielding two teams each. The men's section
suffered a loss with the untimely death of 'Bully' Danilowitz who had
been Club Captain for eight years and who played a significant role in
keeping KHOSA hockey from disintegrating. With the restructuring of
Southern Transvaal hockey, the Johannesburg and District Hockey
Organisation was established in 1946. The men's first team played in
the 2nd league West and the second team in the 3rd league.

KHOSA, while participating in
the Johannesburg league, was classified as a district union and in
1948 H. Kassel and R.C. Stead were selected for the West Rand District
Team to participate in the Country District Festival. During this
period, the men who provided the backbone of the two teams included
Wheeler, Stead, Windell, Shaw, Steenkamp, Reed D, Reed N, Kassel,
Osrin, Rosenberg, Wirtz, Rink, Faul, Da Silva, Diab, Thompson, Brunette,
Surtzsky, Emmett, Waks, Friedman, Barnes, Williams W, Williams L,
Solomon, Webster, Foley, Gordon, Bornman and Goldstein. Despite the
fact that the women's teams were a distinct improvement in quality of
play, recruitment of additional players proved to be a problem.
Krugersdorp High School, which should have been a natural feeder to
the Women's section, failed to do so because students lived in a
fairly widely extended area from Maraisburg and Florida to Randfontein
and Westonaria, and transport proved to be a major problem.

During the 1950's the men's
section fielded either two or three teams annually while the women
accounted consistently for two teams. 1954 was a particularly
successful year for the men, and four players, I. Thompson, N. Reed,
B. de la Roche and D. Windell represented West Rand. In 1960 several
major developments occurred which included a move from the Bob van
Reenen Stadium to the Ivy Greig fields, lower down, where facilities
were somewhat limited. It was at this time that a major drive occurred
to inject new life into the KHOSA club and from 1962, under the able
chairmanship of Don Armstrong, supported by an enthusiastic committee,
with the number of men's teams rising to five and women to three.
However, the unfortunate failure to raise sufficient capital, despite
the offer of a loan, interest free, from the Town Council, ruled out
alternative sites for a clubhouse and fields in Muldersdrift, and what
is currently situated in the Noordheuwel area. The parent committee
of KHOSA was disbanded but both hockey and cricket continued at their
usual venues, and successfully so.

By 1971 the Hockey Section
could boast a membership of +120 members which enabled the men to
field six league teams, and the women, four. The men's first team won
the Southern Transvaal Reserve 'B' league, and three players - M.
Smart, W. Hart and A. Rymer were selected for the West Rand Country
Districts team. In addition, boys' hockey was unofficially started at
K.H.S. and from this point onwards, a youth development programme would
pave the way for a regular intake of future league players. A year
later, 1972, the men's first team was promoted to the Reserve 'A'
league, one step away from Premier League. In the meantime, the men's
teams increased to seven and the women to four.

Owing to provincial road
works, the Ivy Greig fields could no longer be used and so from the
mid-70's to the early 80's, a move was made to the West Rand
Consolidated Mines fields, which not only provided better playing
surfaces, but also improved general amenities. In 1975, KHOSA men gained
promotion to the Premier League, and in the five years to follow,
found the opposition to be formidable and included fixtures against
teams, which included both provincial and past and present Springbok
players. Three other West Rand clubs also had Premier League status -
Roodepoort, Florida and Rand Leases - and also found hockey at this
level 'tough'. However, it was a good learning experience, and coupled
with the growing strength of K.H.S. boys' and girls' hockey, the
future of the club was assured. Unfortunately in the new Premier
League structure, the men's team was relegated to the Reserve A League,
then Reserve B league and finally Second League. However, a general
improvement in the quality of the women's section, enabled the women's
first team to gain Promotion League status. The early 1980's may well
be termed the 'Renaissance of KHOSA hockey' for a variety of
factors:-

The amalgamation of KHOSA
with West Rand Consolidated Mines cricket and hockey would broaden the
base of the club. The fact that for the first time in its history,
KHOSA had a headquarters - the Stan Friedman Sports Complex in
Frederick Cooper Drive, Kenmare (opposite the Krugersdorp High School)
where players and supporters could gather for both sport and socially,
gave KHOSA a 'geographical home" and an identity.

In 1986, an Irish
International player, Kenny Morris, was employed to resurrect KHOSA
hockey. The men's 1st team won the 2nd league and was promoted to the
Reserve League and then Promotion League and finally gained Premier
League status in 1999. The momentum of the 1980's was maintained into
the 1990's - increased membership, greater number of league teams, a
mini-hockey explosion, high school students showing greater involvement,
participation in indoor and summer leagues, increased number of
players gaining selection to representative teams and improved press
liaison. The Ladies 1st team showed great improvement and in 1993 won
League 2A and were promoted to Promotion League; in 1999 Premier
League status was gained. The Southern Gauteng Hockey Association
(S.G.H.A.) recognised that KHOSA was the leading club on the West Rand
and, in fact, set an example to many other clubs. Hence it was nor
surprising that KHOSA has consistently been recognized as one of the top
five clubs amongst the +40 clubs which constitute the S.G.H.A.

The criteria used by the
S.G.H.A. to evaluate these 40 clubs, fielding a combined 250 teams,
involving some 3,000 players on Sunday, as well as those involved in
Saturday veteran/masters matches, are wide-ranging:-